Mary Elizabeth Hurst Simmons

Born in Chicago, Illinois on June 24th, 1935 to Martin & Mary McDaniel Hurst, she grew up in the rural southern setting of Conyers, Georgia.

After graduating from Stephens College, she returned to Atlanta and began her working career at an advertising agency where she would meet her future husband and father of her 3 children, James L. Haynsworth.

The family moved to Columbia, SC in 1969, where they lived in the Forest Acres neighborhood. She later divorced and began working for Bob Capes Realtors, taking on the role of single working mom to 3 rambunctious children.

In the late 70's she was employed as the Public Relations Director for the State Museum. Around this time she met Pelham Simmons through mutual friends.

Both were smitten, which led to an enchanted courtship and marriage.They found a home on Old Woodlands Rd. that was a great fit for their combined families.

She and Pelham lived the good life of international travel, food & wine, entertaining and love & affection for over 15 years. In 1993 her beloved Pelham died unexpectedly, creating a loss in her life which she always lamented.

When a fire in the house forced her to relocate, she made her way to The Heritage on Senate Street. Her many years here were like a cosmopolitan dream come true, from her 17th-story condo overlooking the city and sites she held so dear. It was during this time that she was introduced to Albert (Al) Sadowski, who later became her loving and devoted life partner. They, too, traveled abroad and enjoyed experiencing all manner of cultural events, civic and faith-based activities, and learning opportunities whenever possible. She prided herself on broadening the horizons of those who would share in her life-long passions, and they happily obliged.

Tragically, Al also died suddenly following corrective cardiac surgery in 2016. Yet another heartbreak and loss of a beloved companion took its toll on her seemingly boundless spirit. Nonetheless, she continued to be active in her myriad pursuits and passions throughout the area, including the Columbia Philharmonic Orchestra, Museum of Art, Robert Burns Society, Knights Templar, First Nighters, and Child Study groups, just to name a few.

The years finally caught up with her beginning in 2022, when a congestive heart failure diagnosis deeply impacted her desire to remain active. She took to her bed, where for 2 years she comfortably remained under the watchful eye and constant care of the devoted staff of Solutions for Living at Home. She was very contented and ready to depart this life and join her lost loves & family at the time of her passing.

Liz Simmons will be remembered by many for her beauty & style, thoughtfulness & generosity, enthusiastic love of the arts (especially music & design), and her lifelong love for learning. She was also known as someone who never met a stranger, making friends wherever she went - greeting everyone with a warm, sincere smile and heartfelt compliment. She just had a way of making folks feel special.

She is survived by the greatest loves of her life, her 3 children: Jim, Elizabeth, and Susan Haynsworth. Also her 3 grandchildren: Jack, Hudson, and Tully.

We would like to extend very special thanks to Greg Broughton at The Heritage for all the love & kindness over the years, as well as all the staff there. Likewise, we are grateful to Jennifer Hendricks-McEntire and the wonderful staff at both Solutions for Living at Home and Heart of Hospice.

A memorial service will be held at Trinity Cathedral's Keenan Chapel on Saturday, March 2nd at 12 noon.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory to the S.C. Humane Society would be greatly appreciated by her family, and by the precious creatures in need she would wish to help. Thank you all so much.